Bonn/Nuremberg, 29 May 2008 - Germany's Nuremberg zoo has made UNEP's Executive Director Achim Steiner the official patron of Flocke, the polar bear cub who made her public debut at the zoo in April.

Mr Steiner officially became Flocke's patron on 28 May, during the global conference on biological diversity which is bringing together 191 countries in Bonn (Germany).

"It is an honour to have been invited to be the patron of Flocke the Nuremberg polar bear cub," Achim Steiner said. "I hope a global green economy can be implemented in her lifetime. This green economy could reduce carbon dioxide emissions to a level that would secure the survival of the Arctic habitat as a place where polar bears and native people can live and develop over the next thousands of years."

During the announcement, Nuremberg Zoo said polar bears are the most prominent victims of climate change, which is endangering our planet's great ecosystems. "Polar bears stand for the fact that it is high time we brought about a worldwide reversal of this dangerous trend," the zoo said in a statement.